WTF!!

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

Nope - what is a proper descent? I saw nothing improper in his descent, a commercial reality of flying jumpers is getting up and down as fast as possible because jumpers pay by the jump, not by the aircraft hours flown. I've seen most jump pilots using spiral dives to descend at Vne and even some that spin down if the machine is approved for intentional spins, there's nothing wrong with either method as far as I can see.How many folks stall/spin/crash in the circuit? The answer from NTSB was 346 in the last year in the USA. So a proper circuit isn't a safety margin either, he has huge amounts of the only safety margin that's at all relevant here - speed!

You are definately entitled to your point of view ... Merry Xmas

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

You are definately entitled to your point of view ... Merry Xmas

And you to yours SAJ! It's just a matter of comfort zones based on skills gained from practice.

 

Wishing you a wonderful and comfort-able festive season too mate, Al

 

 

[Tomo]

Just don't forget the wing tip!!! Plenty of energy in the turn, nice wheeler... good control, would hate to hit a gust or air pocket and dip the wing into the ground though.

 

Would probably be classified as 'aviation hooning'.

 

 

[XP503]

With regards to the clip of Kyle Franklins aircraft the black Cub, it actually has plates fitted to the wingtips so that it can intentionally drag a wing along the ground.

 

Amazingly skilled pilot but tragic news regarding his wing-walking wife......

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

While teaching I frequently found it beneficial to demonstrate that dragging tips doesn't invite the presumed trip-up that might seem logical. In fact you have to work hard to keep the tip scraping and its virtually impossible to achieve a good scrape on a tip while turning, ground effect resists it. During a forward slip is difficult enough...

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

On Bob Hoovers' 'energy management display'.

 

I saw this performed so many times whilst living in the States, (twice daily at most airshows ! x 3 days at the Reno Air Races x 12 Renos !)) that over the years, I became bored with it, and it was the signal to head to the loo or grab another beer !...I did watch it very closely for the first couple of years though, and learnt heaps from it, and every other piece of Bobs' flying also. It's not all he did at the Air Races. One year he had no less than four aircraft that he displayed each day...plus acted as race starter for all unlimited races in his yellow Mustang. The man just did not spend a lot of time on the ground !!!....and well into his 70s at the time.

 

When Bob flew, you watched, regardless of what he was in....Shrike, P-51, T-28, or Saberliner. It was like this is the guy who wrote the book..watch and learn folks!....His flying was never 'out there spectacular' , (except in the P-51 !) but always masterfull in it's exucution, and always very smooth, and never in any doubt as to the outcome. Flying like it should be done. The 'energy management' display is one of Bob's well known trademarks, and he takes pride in performing it with great skill, precision, and ability every time. That's why you get sick of watching, it's precision every time !...

 

I once saw it followed by Lefty Gardiner doing an aerobatic display in his P-38 'White Lightning'. Very similiar displays by both aircraft (Aero-commander Shrike, and P-38 Lightning) with both having very similiar wings.

 

I only ever saw Bob slightly screw the energy management up once, and it was at Oshkosh 87.

 

There were high winds on the ground, and probabily higher at altitude. After shutting both engines down, and whilst performing the high powerless loop, he got blown off show center and almost off the airport boundry heading East !...Those who knew the routine could see he would need to do something to get back 'in the groove'. He very quietly fired up both engines at the top of the loop and without missing a beat used the power for 10 seconds to reposition the aircraft. Most watching on the ground would not have even heard or noticed it..the sign of a true showman !....

 

When Chuck Yeager climbed into the X-1 in 1947 to break the sound barrier, it was actually Bob Hoovers' ride as he outranked Yeager at the time. Bob being every bit of 7 Ft tall in socks simply didn't fit in the thing safely, but Chuck did !...In the footage of the event you can see the X-1 accelerate away from the T-33 chase (?) plane, which was flown by Bob Hoover ...............................Maj...

 

 

[Tomo]

Not sure I'd recommend that Doug! Can't say I can see that as being a very good idea in an aircraft somehow!

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes that was very sad davemason1 (post#54), Kyles' father Jimmy Franklin was also a great showman and skilled pilot who self-taught himself to fly at about age 14, I think in a Cub or taylorcraft.!.....also tragically killed during an air show after a mid-air in his jet and prop powered Waco biplane. The showman in the other aircraft also died, who was the father of Kyle Franklins' late wife !.......talk about an airshow dynisty !!...........the flying Franklins and friends for sure !....................................................Maj...

 

 

[Sapphire]

The ones who survive have a plan for when things go wrong and don't do a plan that has no survivable escape.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Mmmm... that's pretty deap sapphire, but I like it !.......I just treated myself to watching the video again, great flying-great video, pure and simple. Love the way the jumpers are landing ahead of him as he taxis in. Thanks Motz..that's getting some loads up and down for sure, probabily to pay for those PT-6s !!...............................................Maj...

 

 

[Sapphire]

MM said: Mmmm... that's pretty deap sapphire,

 

I am not just a pretty face and I've faced some pretty close situations.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I have no doubt Sapphire, I once sat in a Hummelbird that a friend was building in California....the cockpit reminded me a bit of a mustang cockpit, and the builder was an ex-mustang driver from WW2...........................................Maj...

 

 

[Sapphire]

I have no doubt Sapphire, I once sat in a Hummelbird that a friend was building in California....the cockpit reminded me a bit of a mustang cockpit, and the builder was an ex-mustang driver from WW2...........................................Maj...

 

 

I sat in a Hummelbird cockpit and felt like Houdini, trying to do it. Saw one at Oshkosh that was built a bit bigger and it seems to do the show rounds. Apparently Hummel was quite small and maybe never looked out his office window.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

They have done an upgraded larger kit of the Hummelbird which looked great, you may want to do a search for it. Don't know what it was called. Morry Hummel probabily was a little guy, and always very friendly on the phone when I bought parts off him for a 1/2 VW engine I made once in the 80s. He was also a grade A sheet metal worker which shows in the Hummelbird kit. I believe he has passed now unfortunatly RIP Morry.........................................................Maj...

 

 

[facthunter]

It certainly is a small plane (The Hummelbird). The Cri Cri is like sitting in a canoe.( another little one) Nev

 

 

[Sapphire]

It does 100 kts on a few hp and is one of the simplist a/c to build. Almost everthing seems to rivit together and who cant rivit? The half VW engine [converted] does over tbo 1000 hrs and has twin ignition which is a must for anything I buy. The pix to your left is the one I saw at Oshkosh. I may even consider building one but my theory is that if you get another job to pay for a built a/c, it is less work. Planes can take up to 5 years to build even when working agressively.